Gadget Night with Fred Davis: Just in Time for the Holidays
Tech journalist Fred Davis presents “Gadget Night” to SofTech on December 2, 2009. Fred is a fabulous speaker, and well-known journalist and entrepreneur. This presentation highlights some of the latest tech gadgets, along with Fred’s insights into the significant trends in consumer and business technology.
About the Speaker
Award-winning tech journalist, Fred Davis, is a Silicon Valley insider who has been at the forefront of technology hyper-change for the past 30 years. He has served as Editor for many of the world’s leading computer magazines, including A+, MacUser, PC Magazine, and PC Week, where he also started and ran the world’s leading technology product testing labs. Fred is the author of over a dozen books, and was a former tech correspondent for NPR’s All Things Considered.
From Event to Action: Accelerate Your Decision Making with Real-Time Automation
Holiday Gadgets 2009
1. Holiday Gadgets - 2009
Presented by: Mark Ginnebaugh and Fred Davis at Autodesk
San Rafael, California
Sponsored by:
2. Fred Davis
Co-Founder and CTO, Grabbit (www.grabbit.net)
Award winning tech journalist, entrepreneur and gadget enthusiast
Named one of the most influential tech people by publications in the U. S. and
Japan
Widely quoted in publications such as Business Week, The Wall Street Journal,
The New York Times, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, and the Atlantic
Monthly
Guest on many radio and television programs, including NPR's "All Things
Considered," "CBS Evening News," and "ABC News"
3. iPod Nano
5th Generation
8GB or 16GB
Video recording
FM Radio Tuner
Up to 24 hours of music playback or 5 hours of video
playback when fully charged
2.2-inch color TFT display with 240 x 376 pixel
resolution
$150 for 8GB
7. Palm Pre
Palm's new Linux-based webOS
Camera, no video
Portable media player
GPS navigator
Ambient light sensor adjusts screen
brightness
Internet (text messaging, e-mail, web
browsing, Wi-Fi)
Slide open for keyboard
$149 from Sprint w/plan
8. Motorola Droid
Android 2.0
faster Web browser
Google Maps Navigation
better messaging and contact
management
excellent call quality
talk time
improved speed over previous
Android devices.
$199 from Verizon w/plan
9. Kindle 2
Whisper Sync technology lets people keep
track of a single book across multiple
devices
Physical keyboard right up front, and the
device can even browse the web.
The Kindle doesn't support the open,
Google-backed ePub format, but you can't
do much better for paid content than the
Kindle Store.
$259 - Buy from Amazon
10. Kindle DX
Aimed at businesses and students, with
a 9.7-inch screen and wider format
support
Great for PDF
$489 - Buy from Amazon
11. ASUS eePC
ASUS started the netbook craze,
and while the release of Windows
7 and graphics chips like Ion have
made "traditional" netbook guts a
little passe, the 1005HA "Seashell"
Eee PC is perhaps the best
example of that passing form.
10 hours of constant use!
$359
12. HP Mini 311
11.6-inch screen, a great keyboard
and HP's classy netbook styling
NVIDIA Ion graphics chip inside
makes the laptop powerful enough
to play back HD video and even
some video games like World of
Warcraft.
$399+ Buy from HP
13. Dell Inspiron Mini 10v NetBook
10.1-inch Dell Mini
10v powered by an Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz
processor (unlike the Mini 10).
1GB RAM and integrated Intel 945GSE UMA
Graphics Media Accelerator.
Either 120GB/160GB hrd drive or 8GB/16GB
SSD storage.
10.1-inch 1024×576 LCD display and 1Wx2
speakers.
1.3 Megapixel webcam
WIFi
Bluetooth 2.1
3-in-1 card reader and three USB ports.
Runs Windows XP and/or Linux OS – OR
Snow Leopard with hack!
$399
14. Kohjinsha DX Netbook
Kahjinsha dual-screen netbook.
10.1 inches, one slides behind the other
when not in use.
Each screen is a TFT display capable of
showing 1,024 by 600 pixels.
The netbook measures 1.02 x 8.26 x 0.74 –
1.65 inches and weighs just 4.09 pounds.
$1,110
15. Panasonic Z1
Flagship 54-inch plasma HDTV ever,
with only 1-inch depth.
SiBEAM's 60GHz 1080p for wireless
glitch-free images sent via the included
transmitter/media box from up to 30 feet
away.
Internet connectivity for YouTube and
Amazon VOD and an SD card reader for
photos.
Full 1080 line motion resolution,
accurate HD color, deep black levels and
96Hz for judder free movie viewing.
$4000
16. LG LH90
Excellent black levels, wide viewing angle
LCD IPS panel, accurate color, and 240Hz
(120 refresh + scanning backlight) for good
motion resolution.
ISF CCC mode for calibration, THX
certification and a "picture wizard" for user
set-up without calibration discs or external
test signals.
Not the thinnest LED LCD, but a great price.
Available in 42, 47 and 55 inch screen sizes
The 42LH90 is online for $1200 to
$1500; the 47LH90 sells in the $1700
range; and the 55LH90 goes for
$2200 to $2800.
17. Dual Digital HDTV Tuner
Turn any PC on your network into an
HDTV with SiliconDust's HDHomeRun
network-based adapter.
Dual tuner solution plugs into your network
and lets you receive both over the air and unencrypted
content from your cable company.
Compatible with Windows Media Center and many third
party solutions for Windows, Macintosh and Linux.
Record your favorite shows onto your hard drive so you can
watch them whenever you want.
Watch TV from any computer on your network.
Record full 1080i broadcast resolution.
Pause, rewind, fast-forward live TV.
Schedule and record all your favorite TV shows.
Expand with multiple HDHomeRun devices.
$150
18. Panasonic Blu-ray Disc Player
Blu-
Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-ray Disc
Player
1080p upconvert
24p cinema mode
Includes an SD Memory card slot
and USB slot, to view digital still
images and HD video recorded in
AVCHD
$129
19. LG BD390
Excellent Blu-ray play
Integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi
Netflix, YouTube, and CinemaNow streaming
Superfast disc loading; plays music, videos, and
pictures off a connected USB drive or over
network
Profile 2.0 compatible; onboard decoding for Dolby
TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio
7.1 analog outputs
1GB onboard memory.
$400
20. Sony PS3 Slim
33% slimmer, 36% lighter, more energy
efficient PlayStation 3
Blu-ray Disc with upsampling
Includes a Dualshock 3 wireless
controller and a built-in 120GB HDD for
storing games, music, videos, and
photos.
Built-in Wi-Fi
HDMI + Bravia Sync functionality that
provides both 1080p output resolution
Instant in-synch connectivity between
your PS3 and other Sony HDMI enabled
products without remote controls
$299 ($100 drop)
21. Nikon D3000
10.2-megapixel DX-format imaging
sensor
Nikon EXPEED image processing; in-
camera image editing and Active D-
Lighting
3.0-inch color LCD screen; 170-degree
wide-angle viewing
Under $500 with 18-55mm Zoom-
Nikkor VR Image Stabilization
lens
22. Nikon D90
12.3-megapixel DX-format CMOS imaging
sensor
D-Movie Mode; Cinematic 24fps HD with
sound
3-inch super-density 920,000-dot color
LCD monitor
Capture images to SD/SDHC memory
cards
$1,200 with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G
ED VR lens
23. Nikon D700
12.1-megapixel FX-format (23.9 x 36mm)
CMOS sensor; body only.
3.0-inch, 920,000-dot VGA color monitor; 170-
degree wide-angle viewing and tempered-
glass protection.
Fast, accurate 51-point AF system; 3D Focus
Tracking and two Live View shooting modes.
Base ISO range from 200-6400 can be
expanded to range from ISO 100 (Lo-1) to
25,600 (Hi-2); 0.12-second start-up speed.
Capture images to CF I/II cards; compliant
high-speed UDMA CF cards that will enable
recording speeds up to 35 megabytes/second.
$2,500 (body only)
24. Canon 7D
DSLR video that's superior to every camera
but Canon's very pro 1D Mark IV (which
costs $5000)
Shoots in 1080p, with full manual controls,
excellent in low light.
18-megapixel sensor that doesn't explode
with noise at high ISO settings
Good autofocus system
$1900 with a 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 kit
lens
25. Canon T1i
Same 15-megapixel sensor as the pricier
mid-range 50D
Full 1080p HD video capture at 1920 x 1080
resolution
HDMI output
3.0-inch Clear View LCD
Live View Function for stills (Quick, Live and
Face Detection AF modes) and video
Capture images and video to SD/SDHC
memory cards
$720 with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS kit lens
26. Canon PowerShot S90IS
10-megapixel High Sensitivity System; DIGIC 4
Image Processor
Improved low-light image performance, plus a Low
Light scene mode for ISO settings up to 12,800
Customizable control ring for easy access and
operation of manual or other creative shooting
settings
Wide-angle 3.8x optical zoom with Canon's Optical
Image Stabilizer
f/2.0 lens
$399
27. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35
DMC-
12.1-megapixel resolution
27mm wide-angle Leica DC Vario-
Elmarit lens; 18x optical zoom with
POWER O.I.S.
HD movies with 1280 x 720-pixel
resolution; AVCHD Lite format
2.7-inch TFT LCD screen
$399
28. Leica M9
18 Megapixels
Full-Frame 35mm CCD Sensor
2.5" LCD
Classic Rangefinder Design
Intuitive Controls
Quiet, Metal Blade Shutter
High Sensitivity (ISO 2500)
M Mount Compatible
$7,000 (body only)
29. Hasselblad H3DII-50
H3DII-
50 megapixels
Large format (2x2 style)
50MP, 36×48mm Kodak sensor, which
is twice the size of a full frame 35mm
DSLR sensor
top shutter speed of 1/800 sec
ISO range of 50 to 400
$35,000
30. Flip Ultra HD
Pocket-sized HD camcorder featuring
one-touch recording and digital zoom
Captures 120 minutes of HD video on
8 GB of built-in memory; no tapes or
additional memory cards required
Convenient flip-out USB arm plugs
directly into your PC or Mac to launch
FlipShare software
Built-in software lets you upload video
to sharing sites likeYouTube and
MySpace
$199
31. Canon VIXIA HF200
HD Flash Memory Camcorder
HD video directly to a removable SDHC memory card
Genuine Canon 15x HD video lens; SuperRange Optical
Image Stabilizer
1920 x 1080 Full HD recording; 24p Cinema Mode, 30p
Progressive Mode
Dual Shot for capturing both video and photos with ease
HDMI terminal for easy, one-cable connectivity to your
HDTV
Under $600
32. Canon HF S100
Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder
8.59Mp CMOS sensor
Up to 6 hours of HD video to a removable
SDHC card as well as 8Mp digital stills
10x HD Video Lens, 2.7" Multi-Angle
Widescreen LCD and SuperRange Optical
Image Stabilization
Face Detection and Pre-record modes help
the casual shooter get the shot.
Microphone and headphone terminals and a
Mini Advanced Accessory shoe for holding
external lights and mics.
24p Cinema mode gives your video a film-
look while 30p Progressive mode is ideal for
action or sports footage.
$1,000
33. Sony PMW-EX3
PMW-
Flash-memory based high definition
camcorder
Variety of frame rates and resolutions
using Sony's new XDCAM-EX intraframe
codec
“Big-brother" to the PMW-EX1, the PMW-
EX3 has an interchangeable lens mount
Continuous record time of up to 140
minutes!
Shoot in 720p, 1080i, or 1080p modes
Fast and slow motion, as well as popular
frame rates such as the "film-like" 24p
mode.
$9,999
34. Red One Camera
Body itself starts at just under
$20,000—without lenses, mounts,
CF modules or pretty much
anything you'll need to use it
It's the cheapest 4K camera you
can acquire, and for the price of
one extended 35mm camera
rental, you'll have a system that's
"free to use" again and again.
$17,500 (body only)
35. Sound Isolating Earphones
Shure SE210 Hi-Definition earplugs with bright
highs and extra detail
HD MicroSpeaker delivers wider range and more
clarity and detail than standard earbuds
Sound Isolation Technology reduces background
noise better than noise-cancelling headphones,
without batteries or added hiss
Interchangeable sleeves for personalized,
comfortable fit; 3' extension cable; carrying case
Flexible cord length
$150
36. Aluratek Internet Radio
Alarm Clock
Access more than 11,000 radio stations
in over 150 countries around the world
with no monthly fees.
Connect to a local Ethernet cable
network if you prefer.
Search for music geographically by
continent/country/state or by the more
than 50 different available genres
including a wealth of talk, local news and
sports radio stations broadcast
throughout the world.
Stream your music library from your local
pc/media server if the 11,000+ radio
station weren’t enough.
$100
37. Bug Labs
Want to make a GPS camera
MP3 player? You can!
It's a modular, open-source
system for building whatever
comes to mind, by plugging little
modules into each other till you
get the desired functionality.
If you want to program them, you
need to know Java, but there are
also a lot of apps you can just
download.
BUGbase core $450; assorted
modules from $70; monster kit
$750 [Bug Labs]
38. Husqvarna Automower
The Automower works much like a
Roomba does, mapping out the lawn (up
to a 1/2 acre) and cutting it frequently in
random patterns.
Solar electric hybrid
Inexpensive to operate in the long term.
Most versions even return to the
charging base autonomously so the
process is literally set it and forget it.
$1300-$3000 [Husqvarna via Link]
39. Duracell Instant Power Charger
Portable, long lasting battery power for all USB-
compatible devices such as iPods, iPhones, cellular
phones, PDAs, Bluetooth headsets and more.
Adds up to 35 hours of run time to iPods/MP3 players,
5 hours of talk time to cell phones and up to 4 hours of
talk time to iPhones/smart phones/PDAs.
Can be charged up to 600 times using a laptop or any
other USB power source
Compatible with most Motorola and Blackberry
phones and works with all USB cables (like the ones
included with the iPod or iPhone).
Sleek and light--weighs less than five ounces and
easily fits in your purse or pocket.
$15.99
40. Flash Voyager 128GB USB
Drive
Cosair 128GB USB drive
No moving parts.
Ruggedized, rubber housing, water-resistant
and virtually shockproof.
Fast performance on par with portable USB
hard drives.
More than 2.5 times faster than competing
high-capacity USB flash drives.
Works with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux
operating systems, without the need for drivers.
$400
41. Swann SW234-PC2 PenCam
SW234-
Stylish ball point pen is a camera that records
quality color video to a built-in memory stick
with a 2GB storage capacity.
With the touch of a button you can instantly
switch from recording video at 640 x 480
resolution to recording still shots at 1280 x 960
resolution.
Plug the pen into your PC's USB port for
viewing its images and for uploading video to
your favorite social networking site.
Battery lasts 90 minutes.
The SW234-PC2 is also a working pen - Swann
even supplied it with 3 ink refills.
$99
42. Automatic Pancake Maker
Chefstack Automatic Pancake Maker
Proportedly cranks out 200 perfectly-formed low fat pancakes (in three-sizes) per
hour.
Essentially, it's one big gift for all of your pancake-loving friends, and an even bigger
gift for yourself when you visit.
Good for fire departments and fund raisers?
$3500